A Historical Study - on the years of conquests of countries
listed in the Rajaraja Chola's Meikeerththi
The Chola king Arumolidevan (also known as Arumolivarman) son of Sundera Cholan and (periya)Vaanavan Mahaadevi ascended the Chola throne in the year A.D.985 with the crown title - the Rajakesari, after 17 years of rule of Uththama Cholan.
Note: Sundera Cholan's Queen "Vaanavan Mahaadevi" has been differentiated in the inscriptions from "Vaanavan Mahaadevi alias Thiribhuvanamaadevi" the Queen of Rajaraja Chola 1, by a prefix "periya" meaning senior among them.
In my efforts to arrive at an almost accurate - "years of conquests" of countries by Rajaraja Chola - 1(A.D.985-1014), I have first made a schedule of inscriptions of Rajaraja sequenced by their respective years, for our study as follows:
As usual, you have painstakingly summarized a complicated chronology of wars of Rajaraja-I. Excellent work
Few thoughts : - Rajaraja was almost certainly his abhiseka nama with which he assumed throne. Not something that came out of other titles. It is not customary to use other titles as one's name.
- Till his 15th year his meikeerthi was not formatted. Hence he was mentioned only as "Kanthaloor chalai kalamarutha ko rajakesarivarman". This was not a part of meikeerthi but just a title he assumed. His meykeerthi should be considered only with appearance of "Thirumagal pola".
- Udagai conquest should not be taken as "Kongu" conquest. Both are different countries. Udagai is Mahodagai and not Udagamandalam as earlier thought. His Udagai conquest - considered as a pinnacle by Ottakoothar and Jayamkondar - does not appear in his meykeerthi at all.
- In order to place nolambapadi and gangapadi wars it is better to considered Ganga and Nolamba inscriptions also.
"Panmozhipulavar" Kaa. Appadurai's THENNATTU PORKKALANGAL (Battle Fields of Southern India) - Published by Meyyappan Tamizhayvagam - 53, Pudutheru, Chidambaram - deals with sevaral prominent battles :
Enlists::
1. Sundara Chozha - Lankan war 965 AD 2. Sundara redeeming Thondai (erstwhile Pallava) land :: 962 - 967 from Krishna III
3. Kandhalur chalai war :: 988 4. Udhagai war :: quoting Vikramachozha ula; Kuthothunga ula. Rasarasa chozha ula of Ottakoothar and Kalingathu Parani of Jayamkondar. " In less than 12 hours crossed 18 Kaadu " 5. Vizhignam war
The three are in Chera province... ( Some Scholars speculated Kandhalur also as Vizhignam)
thennaattu porkalangal depends a lot on one sided inscriptions. if tamils have a inscription of an invasion they undertook there must be some evidence in that land too.
kalki himself was critical of one sided approaches which he ridicules in that sundara sola and poets scene.
could it be just a co incidence that 2 major story lines that kalki took up for his historical novels PS and SS have hitorical notes from both feuding parties opposed to the pallavas( chalukyas) and cholas( mahavamsa of the lankans)
You have mentioned "Udagai is Mahodagai". What you have referred - is it "Mahodagai" or "Mahothai" the Chera capital. Kindly advice.
If it is Mahothai, then Mahothai & Uthahai(Udagai)are two different regions. Mahothai which was the original Vanji Nagar later renamed as Kodungallur, and then again renamed as Mahothai. After the period of 100 years war by Cholas with the Chera country, it was again popularly known as Kodungallur.
If what you have mentioned is "Mahodagai" then I need to make further study on same, as this name is new to me.
Regarding the other points raised by you, I will revert to you soon. I also wish to thank you, on your complementary remark on my Thread.